Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: August 15, 2024
August 12 marks the 24th anniversary of Executive Order 13166, “Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency.” At its core, the order acknowledges a fundamental principle: The federal government must be able to understand and communicate with all people in the United States, including those with limited English proficiency (LEP), to keep our country and communities safe and prosperous.
For over 2 decades, we have partnered with the U.S. Department of Justice and interested third parties to remove language barriers to federal and federally funded programs and services.
Misunderstandings can lead to unfortunate, sometimes tragic, consequences.
Communicating with and understanding people with limited English proficiency is critical to carrying out the federal government’s many missions. Ours is to provide financial protection to the nation’s people. When government agencies like ours translate documents or offer free interpreter services, we improve the effectiveness of our programs and services for people who communicate primarily in languages other than English.
At Social Security, we are committed to making sure our programs – and the programs we fund – are open to all people, regardless of their English proficiency. Along with more than 40 other federal agencies, we have revised (or are revising) our language access plans. In December 2023, we released our revised plan, which describes our language access policy, strategy, and program.
We have made it a priority to implement effective policies and procedures to eliminate language barriers. For example:
- In response to advocate concerns, we:
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- Launched a social media campaign to promote the online Multilanguage Gateway with information in 17 languages.
- Relocated the gateway link to a more prominent location on our homepage for greater visibility and access.
- Began a review of our multilanguage publications and online resources.
- To increase transparency, we released data from our Open Government webpage, including:
- Annual telephone interpreter services call counts.
- Annual spoken language preferences of benefit applicants.
- Internally, we launched the LEP Communications Hub for employees that has LEP-related products, resources, training, policy, and outreach materials.
In the coming year, we will continue to work with our partners on the Federal Language Access Working Group (FedLAWG) led by the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. As a member of the FedLAWG, we share best practices about training employees, recruiting multilingual staff, contracting for translators and interpreters, and using technology to deliver language assistance.
Please visit our Equity page to learn about the progress we have made since the release of our first Equity Action Plan in 2022. You can download the Equity Action Plan 2023 Update to read about how we continue to prioritize efforts to make sure language does not pose barriers when people apply for benefits and access our services.
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Larry
Now we are making it easier for Illegals who crossed out border Illegally to get our S.S. even though they never worked in this Country. This should never happen to us Americans who busted our butts off for over 30 years at a job, and now your going to give it to those damn Illegals and undocumented who just came here for the freebees. Something wrong here in America, Something for nothing is not right.
Wendoly A.
Me gustaría saber más acerca de esto .. ya que tengo dos hijas , de 4 hijos que pari, tengo dos que nacieron aquí en estados unidos en la ciudad de Galveston Texas .. y a las que creo les están robando sus beneficios del seguro .. por favor ayúdenme ..
T.Y.
Hello, Wendoly. For information in Spanish, please visit us at http://www.segurosocial.gov, Administración del Seguro Social http://www.facebook.com/segurosocial, or http://www.twitter/segurosocial. Thanks!
Quacy M.
this is sometimes right to get a social security interpreter
Quacy M.
sometimes this is right to get a social security interpreter
Zeki M.
By this way your organization shows how essential to you citizens who not perfect in English language and you aim to reach this people. this approach deserving huge appreciate.
DAISY O.
Tango 11 años de vivid en Louisiana y nunca me dan el SS a mi esposo que trabajo y me sacaban el vivid y ahora con 3 strock y el ultimo sin sills de puedas y so terrapia y para como me quite Los FS y lo ma’s Grande la quitan a mi hija el cheque de SS y todavia estudia y pagando y el seguro social lo sabe y Los FS pukes la environ Los 120 de estudiando y cuando te quejas no entienda.
S.S.
Hi, Daisy. For information in Spanish, please visit us at http://www.segurosocial.gov, Administración del Seguro Social http://www.facebook.com/segurosocial.Thanks!
MajJohn
You’d think by reading the leading paragraph that EO 13166 is something new, attributed to the current administration when all this is is a review of something that has been in effect for 24 years. Even before the EO was signed the SSA provided interpreters for anyone who needed it in order to conduct business.
Joyce M.
No, I wouldn’t think this is something new because “by reading the leading paragraph”, it clearly states it is the 24th anniversary of this E.O. 13166.
Sally N.
How do i get a qmb so can can get part a for Medicare my doctors will not see because they want to sign in with a dual because I don’t have part a I need a . Qmb to fix my insurance thank you
MajJohn
Check with your social services(welfare) agency, as they administer the program, not SSA.
MajJohn
Check with the local welfare office.
S.S.
Hello Sally. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. The most convenient way to sign up for Medicare is with our online application. If you prefer to schedule an appointment, you can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. To learn more, read our guest blogs, Medicare for You: What You Need to Know, and visit our Frequently Asked Questions. We hope this helps.